An Alabama mother is facing serious charges after a tragic incident in which her young son discovered a loaded firearm at home, resulting in the accidental shooting death of a two-year-old boy.
Evelyn Etress, 40, has been charged with manslaughter, aggravated child abuse, and various drug-related offenses following the death of her son, Noah, who was shot in the head on Wednesday.
Blount County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to reports of gunfire at around 10 a.m. Upon arrival, they found the toddler with a gunshot wound to the head, still clinging to life, as confirmed by Sheriff Mark Moon.
Despite the swift response and efforts by paramedics, the severely injured boy was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
At the time of the shooting, Etress was the sole adult in the home, where she was looking after six children, according to a report by Law & Crime.
The incident unfolded when three children were playing in the master bedroom, and Etress heard a sudden, loud noise coming from the room.
She ran to the bedroom and found her son with a gunshot wound, and a .380-caliber handgun lying in a closet.
Evelyn Etress, 40, is charged with manslaughter, aggravated child abuse, and drug offenses after her son Noah was shot through the skull on Wednesday
Deputies rushed to a shots-fired call at around 10am, where they found the two-year-old with a gunshot wound to the head
At a press conference, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey said six children were inside the home: Noah, two 4-year-old girls, an 8-year-old girl, a 9-year-old girl, and a 13-year-old boy.
Casey did not reveal who pulled the trigger but made clear that the deadly gunshot wound was inflicted by someone else, not the child himself.
‘Crime scene investigators determined that the projectile had gone through the two-year-old’s skull, through the wall, hit the ceiling and then landed on the couch,’ Casey said during the conference.
While no other children were harmed, authorities say they discovered at least four guns left where the kids could easily access them.
Casey warned of the dangers of unsecured guns in the home, urging that all firearms be stored safely where children cannot access them.
‘They’re children, a firearm is not a toy, and it’s not a teaching moment for a toddler, and in this case, as we see, that teaching moment came too late,’ she said.
She noted that kids can’t distinguish a real gun from a toy, and in seconds, a deadly accident can occur.
While no other children were harmed, authorities say they discovered at least four guns left where the kids could easily access them
Despite paramedics’ efforts, the boy was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead
Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey speaking at the press conference
‘When a gun’s left out, a child doesn’t see danger, they see something familiar,’ the prosecutor said.
‘If you think about it, our children play with water guns and with Nerf guns and things of that nature, and these young children just don’t know and as a result a misunderstanding can turn into tragedy in seconds.’
The children’s father was a convicted felon but had received a pardon about a year ago, legally allowing him to own guns, WBRC reported.
‘Parents, take a moment tonight… evaluate what you have and where it is,’ Casey said in the press conference.
‘We can do that and keep our rights and also protect our children.’
The 40-year-old is being held in jail on a $90,000 bond.
